Rotary gravity-machine for separating and concentrating precious metals.



BRANDOLPH. ROTARY GRAVITY MACHINE FOR SEPARATING AND CONCENTRATINGPRECIOUS METALS.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, l9l6. LQQWH Y0 Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lw w gr MM Inventor Witnesses Attorneys E. RANDOLPH.ROTARY GRAVITY MACHINE FOR SEPARATING AND CONCENTRATVING PRECIOUSMETALS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. 1916- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented NOV. 27,1917.

Attorneys Witnesses EDMUND RANDOLPH, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

ROTARY GRAVITY-MACHINE FOR. SEPARATING AND CONGENTRATING PRECIOUSMETALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917..

Application filed December 19, 1916. Serial No. 137,822.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND RANDOLPH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon,have invented a new and useful Rotary Gravity-Machine for Separating andConcentrating Precious Metals, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention appertains to apparatus for separating andconcentrating precious metals, such as gold and platinum, and it is theobject of the invention to provide a novel and improved rotary gravitymachine for the recovery of such metals from sand and dirt and adaptedespecially for use in placer mining.

The invention has for its object the provision in a machine of thatcharacter of novel construction, to enhance the utility and efficiencythereof, the machine being comparatively simple, compact and inexpensivein construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rotary machineof that character having novel means for conducting the water, sand,dirt and lighter materials from one compartment to another, so that theheavier metals or concentrates accumulate within said compartments fromwhich they can be discharged from time to time.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a plan view of the machine, looking downwardly at rightangles with the receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shield.

Fig. 5 is a fragment-a1 perspective of one of the rotary members.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an inclinedtrough-shaped receptacle 1 supported by suitable legs 2 and ofsubstantially semicircular cross section. The receptacle is providedwith a longitudinal series of transverse partitions 3 definingtransverse compartments l. The lower end 5 of the receptacle is arrangedat an obtuse angle with the bottom of the receptacle, and is providedwith an extension 6 projecting at an obtuse angle therefrom andproviding a hopper into which the water and dirt or sand is fed. Thereceptacle is provided with discharge apertures 7 in its bottom at thelowermost portions of the compartments *1, and suitable valves 8 areseatable upwardly to normally close said apertures. The valves arecarried by levers 9 fulcrumed, as at 10, to the receptacle. The freearms of the levers 9 are movable along stems 11 projecting from thereceptacle, and nuts 12 at threaded upon said stems for limiting themovements of the levers 9. The free arms of said levers can readily bepressed toward the receptacle for unseating the valves to enable theconcentrates or heavier precipitates to be discharged through theapertures from time to time, for testing whether the sand or dirt beingworked is of a paying quality. The levers 9 are pressed by springs 13 toclose the valves when the levers are released.

A cross piece 1 1 is mounted within the receptacle, adjacent to itslower end, for supgporting an upstanding shield 15. A bearing 16 issecured to the shield adjacent to the lower edge thereof and is adaptedto be received by an upwardly opening slot or notch 17 with which thecross piece 1 1 is provided, the bearing 16 having grooves 18 forengaging the side edges of the notch 17 for holding the bearing inplace, as well as the shield 15, with the lower edge of the shieldoverlapping the cross piece 1 1 and cooperating with the extension 6 toprovide the feed hopper at the lower end of the receptacle. The shield15 prevents the material which is dumped into the hopper from fallingpast said shield over the cross piece 1 1.

The bearing 16 has a socket 19 in which the lower end of an inclinedshaft 20 is journaled, said shaft being inclined similarly to thereceptacle 1 and extending longitudinally across the partitions 3. Theshaft 20 is seated near its upper end in a notched or slotted bearing 21carried by a cross piece 22 in turn carried by the upper end of thereceptacle 1. By withdrawing portions within the compartments & and

their margins working near the walls of the receptacle. The disks 2% areprovided upon their upper faces adjacent to the upper walls of thecompartments l with spirally extending flanges arranged at right angleswith the disks, and each disk can have any suitable number of theseflanges which provide spiral V-shaped troughs. The outer terminals ofthe flanges 25 terminate near the edges of the disks 24. The

inner ends of the flanges 25 terminate between the disks 2% and annularplates or ring 26 associated with the disks at the upper sides thereofand working below the respective partitions 3. Extending from the inneredges of the rings 26 are flared annular flanges or funnels 27overhanging.

the respective partitions for delivering the material from onecompartment to another. The disks 24: have hubs 28 slipped upon theshaft 20, and said shaft 20 has a collar 29 adjacent to its lower endagainst which the hub 28 of the lowermost disk seats. The hub 30 of theuppermost disk carries a set screw 31 for holding it fixed upon theshaft, and the hubs of the disks are pro vided with interlocking lugs orportions 32 preventing the relative rotation of the disks, whereby theyall rotate as a unit with the shaft 20. When the shaft is removed andthe set screw 31 loosened, the disks can be readily slid off of theshaft, providing that the pulley wheel 23 is removed.

Disposed within the openings of the rings 26 and the openings surroundedby the inner ends of the flanges 25 are annular sets of helical blades33. These blades extend helically from the disks 24 in an upwarddirection, and extend from the rings'26 to the hubs 28. Certain of theflanges 25 have their inner ends extended, as at 3 k, to the ends of theblades 33, and the other flanges 25 terminate short of said blades. Anynumber of flanges of either form can be used, those flanges which havethe extensions 34: being of the same number as the blades 33.

discharge'of the material delivered from the upper compartment;

The disks 24 are provided with agitat ing blades or vanes 36 projectingfrom the edges thereof in annular series, and said blades or vanes 36have their terminals bent at obtuse angles whereby said blades aresubstantially helical for agitating the material transversely of thedisks and longi tudinally of the receptacle 1, the blades 36 being soarranged that when the disks 2% are rotated in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 2, the blades 36 tend to force the material upwardlywithin. the respective compartments. V

The operation of the machine is as follows: The sand or dirt isdelivered with the water into the hopper at the lower end of thereceptacle, and the shaft 20 is rotated in the proper direction. Theblades or vanes 36 of the lowermost disk agitate the material and forceit upwardly so that the water and lighter materials are scooped up fromthe upper portions of the compartment bottoms by thelower ends of theflanges 25 of the lowermost or first disk, and as the disk rotates, thewater and material scooped up by the flanges 25 is carried toward thecenter of the disk, being raised from the lower portion of the firstcompartment. to the blades 33 of the first disk, and said blades willshed the material through the opening of the first ring 26, from whichthe material will run down the flangeor funnel.

27 over the partition 3 between the first and second compartments, thematerial thus be- The material is thus raised.

ing carried from the first into the second compartment. This operationis continued from one compartmentv to the otherthe. length of thereceptacle, the lightermaterials and water thusbeing carried upwardlyand finally dlscharged from the chute 35, and the heavier metals, suchasv gold and platinum, settling within the lowermost points of thecompartments as concentrates. Tests can be made from time to time byopening the valves 8 todetermine whether the sand or dirt being workedis of a profitable nature, and the compartments are cleaned out fromtime to time at suitable intervals. Thus, when clean up time comes, theflow of material into the hopper is stopped, and the machine is. leftrunning for a suflicient length of time to clean out all the excesslighter materials, the water still flowing into the machine to assist incleaning it out, leaving only the concentrates and water so that theycan be readily.

discharged by Opening the valves 8. l The gold and platinum and otherprecious metalsv can be caught in asuitable trough or receptacle.

Havingthus described the invention, what.

is claimed as new is: V

1. A machine of the character descrlbed embodylng a compartment havingan .m-

clined bottom, and a rotatable member working within said compartmentand having means at its margin for working the materials upwardly onsaid bottom, said member having means leading from its margin t0- wardits center for raising the lighter materials from the upper portion ofsaid bottom to discharge them.

2. A machine of the character described having a series of compartmentswith inclined bottoms, and a plurality of rotatable members rotating asa unit and working in the respective compartments, said members havingmarginal portions for working the materials upwardly on said bottoms,and said members having means extending from their marginal to theircentral portions for raising the lighter materials from the upperportions of said bottoms to discharge the lighter materials into thenext upper compartments.

3. A machine of the character described embodying an inclined receptaclehaving transverse partitions providing compartments having inclinedbottoms, disks rotatable within said compartments, agitating meanscarried by the edge portions of said disks for working the lightermaterials upwardly on said bottoms, means carried by the disks forraising the materials from the upper portions of said bottoms, and meanscarried by the disks for discharging the materials raised by the secondmentioned means into the adjacent compartments.

4. A machine of the character described embodying an inclined receptaclehaving transverse partitions providing compartments having inclinedbottoms, an inclined shaft, disks carried by said shaft and working insaid compartments, agitating means carried by the edge portions of saiddisks for moving the materials upwardly upon the bottoms of saidcompartments, means carried by said disks for raisingthe materials fromthe upper portions of said bottoms, and means carried by the disks fordischarging the raised materials from the second mentioned means intothe next upper compartments.

5. A machine of the character described embodying an inclinedcompartment having an inclined bottom, an inclined rotatable diskworking within said compartment, blades carried by the edge portion ofsaid disk for working the materials upwardly on the bottom of saidcompartment, and spiral portions carried by said disk adjacent to theupper wall of said compartment for raising the materials from the upperportion of said bottom.

6. A machine of the character described. embodying a compartment, arotatable disk working therein, spiral flanges carried by the disk forscooping up and raising the materials, a flared flange associated withthe inner ends of said flanges and overhanging one wall of saidcompartment, and blades carried by the disk centrally of the spiralflanges for directing the materials from the inner ends of the spiralflanges over said flared flange.

7. A machine of the character described embodying an inclined receptaclehaving transverse partitions providing concentrating compartments andhaving lower outlet means for said compartments, an inclined shaft,disks carried by said shaft working in the compartments, agitatorscarried by the edges of the disks for working the materials upwardlywithin the lower portions of said compartments, spiral flanges carriedby the upper faces of said disks for scooping up and raising thematerials, flared flanges associated with the inner ends of said spiralflanges and overhanging the partitions for delivering the materials intothe next upper compartments, and blades carried by the disks centrallyof the spiral flanges for directing the materials from the inner ends ofsaid spiral flanges over said flared flanges.

8. A device of the character described embodying an inclined receptaclehaving a series of compartments and a cross piece near its lower end,said cross piece having a seat,

a bearing fitted in said seat, a shield carried a by said bearing andcooperating with the lower end of the receptacle to provide a feedhopper, an inclined shaft having its lower end journaled in saidbearing, and a device carried by said shaft working in said compartmentsfor raising the materials therein and delivering them into the nextupper compartments.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND RANDOLPH.

Witnesses:

JAs. S. STRIGKLER, O. F. NIoHoLs.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O.

